Maker Β· Fruit
BerryBrothers
Soft fruit fresh from the field. The Van Zuilen family grows strawberries, red and blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in the Betuwe and Limburg, and supplies year-round thanks to their own cultivation and cold storage.
The story
Who's behind it
BerryBrothers is the Van Zuilen family business. Jan and Karin van Zuilen started in 1998 with a nursery in the Betuwe on some 3 hectares. In 2005 the business took the name Berrybrothers. Since then cultivation has grown considerably: alongside the Betuwe, the business now also operates in Limburg, with sites in Roggel, Heythuysen and land bought near Buren. Brother Albert joined, and now the next generation runs the business, with cousins dividing cultivation and organisation. Grower and seller sit at the same table.
They grow the whole soft fruit range: strawberries, red berries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Red berries are their hallmark. Cold storage capacity runs to 400,000 kilos, so they can sell the harvest throughout the year.
Why this soft fruit
They handle both cultivation and sales themselves. What comes from the field goes straight through, which saves time between picking and kitchen. Soft fruit deteriorates quickly, so with this short chain it reaches you firm.
They also supply year-round. For red berries they combine the large cold store with cultivation in northern Portugal and Chile. That lets you put Dutch red berries from BerryBrothers on your menu in January too, as a fixed part of your dishes.
In your kitchen
Red berries as a regular garnish for game, duck or a terrine bring colour and an acidity that cuts through fat, also outside the season. Use strawberries at their peak. They arrive shortly after picking, so plan your desserts around the weeks they taste best.
The short chain lets you buy with a sharper eye on freshness. Ask what peaks when and build your desserts and garnishes around it. Soft fruit fresh from the field needs little handling.
βWe are increasingly recognised in the market as a year-round soft fruit supplier.β
Chefβs tip
Red berries are their speciality, available year-round thanks to cold storage. Use them wherever you need acidity and colour: beside game and poultry, or to keep a sweet dessert fresh.
How to use it
Ideas for your menu
Red berries with game and duck
The acidity cuts through fat and brings colour to the plate.
Strawberries at their peak
Harvested on flavour during season, in your kitchen shortly after picking.
Raspberries and blackberries with cheese
Small, sweet and gently tart alongside a ripe or blue cheese.
Blueberries in dessert or breakfast
Firm in structure, they hold up well in warm preparations.
For your menu
βDutch red berries from BerryBrothers, family cultivation from the Betuwe, fresh from the field and harvested year-round.β
Products from BerryBrothers
What we carry from this maker
Red berries
The speciality, available year-round thanks to cold storage and cultivation elsewhere.
Blackberries
Supplementary soft fruit from their own cultivation programme.
Prices and availability are in the portal. Become a customer or log in to order.
Taste it in your own kitchen
Book a no-obligation tasting with Niels and taste it for yourself.